Ghost Hunter
by spacegypsy1
Summary: While SG-1 is on a mission, one of their own is killed. And Daniel is seeing the ghost everywhere. D/V Romance. Team. Entwined with angst and humor. Warning, main character ‘death’...sort of. Stay with me here...it might get bumpy.
1. Chapter 1

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

While SG-1 is on a mission, one of their own is killed. And Daniel is seeing the ghost everywhere. D/V. Team. Entwined with angst and humor. Warning, main character 'death'...sort of...

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Chapter One:

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As usual, nothing was going right. The earlier scuffle had ended with the despots hitting the DHD, shooting out some kind of bolt and taking off in their less than perfect transports. That had been hours ago.

"Ok, Jackson, you head straight towards wonderland." Mitchell hiked up his P-90, pointing forward towards the ruins. "I'll go left, Teal'c right, Carter you keep working on the DHD, Vala you watch her back."

Daniel checked his holster, pulled the safety off his handgun, lifted the P-90 more comfortably and closed in on the tree line. He turned back for a look, seeing the Stargate gleaming on the horizon. That's when he saw the ship swoop down, firing, and speeding off.

Knowing there was no way they could hear him, Daniel yelled out anyway, "Vala! Sam!" and took off running, his heart pounded in his chest, legs pumping.

The closer he got the more he worried. Sam was kneeling over Vala. He could see Mitchell and Teal'c, much closer then he was, closing in.

_Oh, God, please. Let them be okay. _Daniel let go of his thoughts, focused only on reaching the Stargate. His lungs burned. The muscles of his legs screamed in pain but he only pushed himself harder.

Sam's voice came over the radio. "Hurry, Daniel. Hurry. She's not breathing!"

"Jackson!" Mitchell's voice, sounding panicked, erupted from the radio. "We're here, Carter's on the DHD. Watch for incoming, we've got you covered."

Feeling the sting in his eyes as well as the ache in his lungs, Daniel forced himself to run faster. They were drawing closer by the moment, zooming towards him like a freight train. He found himself near to plowing into them, falling to his knees beside Vala, shoving Mitchell aside. The jar of dropping his knees to the ground sent a shock throughout his body.

"Vala!" Scooping her limp body into his arms, Daniel gathered her to his chest, his hand completely wrapping her head, holding it against his bursting heart. "Vala." He whispered, taking a moment to investigate and finding no visible wounds. He rocked back and forth on his knees, tears blurring his vision. "What hit her?

Sam frantically rotated crystals in the DHD that they assumed had been the target. Without stopping she called out. "It was like Zat fire, only bigger and it came from the ship!"

_This can't be happening. _Only this morning Vala had squealed with delight at the stack of magazines topped off with Godiva chocolates and accompanied by a Mochacino, he'd bought for her on his way in. Just this morning she'd been so happy with the treats she'd kissed him, softly on the lips. Smelling sweetly. Breathing. Just this morning he'd kissed her back – for the first time.

"Hurry, Sam." He begged.

"She was hit twice." Was all Sam said then she ignored him. Ignored the fear, the terror of losing a beloved team member - losing another best friend. Instead she concentrated only on the DHD. Finally, she jumped up, hands shooting out, and dialed in lightening speed.

Vala's body draped over his arms like some piece of thin wet cloth as Daniel lifted her. He brought her upwards, closer to his chest, to cradle her more comfortably. His eyes were on Mitchell's waiting for the signal to rush her through. His throat seemed to house his much too large heart. He wanted to scream. To rant. To beg. But at no time in any part of his past had that ever helped.

The Kawoosh settled then the Stargate suddenly shut down before Mitchell could manipulate the GDO.

The now distinct whine of the enemy ship came again. Mitchell took a burning, staff-like blast, to his shoulder. An energy bolt hit Teal'c hard, sending him sprawling back, halfway through the circle of the Stargate.

"Carter!" Cam yelled as he dropped to the ground.

"I'm on it! Daniel, get Teal'c back away, I'm going to try again." Sam took quick glance at the sky, but their attackers had once again disappeared.

Unconsciously, Daniel kissed Vala's temple. Then, with conscious thought, he brushed her slack lips, before looking across to Mitchell who leaned against the other side of the DHD. There was a look in Mitchell's eyes Daniel did not want to read. Laying Vala gently on the ground, Daniel made for Teal'c, pulling him to safety.

Teal'c groaned as Daniel helped him up. "It appears their weaponry is similar to the Zat'nek'tal." The Jaffa looked pale and barely able to stand. "Only stronger."

Again, they came out of nowhere, making another attempt - firing! As Sam once again hit the symbols, the puddle settled and stayed. Cam dialed in again, then thumbed his radio, yelling, "we're comin' in hot!"

Daniel made a mad dash for Vala hearing the dreaded weapon building up to fire again. The third shot sent electric bolts dancing across her body, until it totally disappeared. He slowed, shocked, screaming, "NO!!" Then moved to stare unbelievingly at the still smoking spot where Vala had been.

Teal'c laid an unsteady hand on his shoulder. "DanielJackson, we must go. There is nothing more we can do."

Daniel jerked free, his eyes never leaving the charred area where she had lain.

"DanielJackson, I cannot assist ColonelMitchell. You must help him! They will return to finish what they started!" Teal'c had taken a somewhat firm hold on Sam, who seemed unable to move. "ColonelCarter, we must go." Taking slow steps, Teal'c tugged Sam along through the puddle.

A dazed Daniel got Mitchell up and stumbled towards the Stargate. He couldn't think. He didn't really want to move, but he needed to get Mitchell to safety. Vala was dead. Completely and irrevocably gone.

TBC~


	2. Chapter 2

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

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Chapter Two:

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Mitchell grunted as Daniel moved forward, and with the colonel's arm hooked around Daniel's neck, he half dragged the man towards the Stargate. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind Daniel imagined Vala calling his name and his heart ached. He struggled towards the gate.

"_Daniel! I can't believe you're just going to leave me here!"_

Vala's voice cut through him like a knife but he shook it off and continued with Mitchell, nearly unconscious, as they closed in on the event horizon. Just before he stepped through he couldn't stop himself from turning to look at the spot where she had fallen.

Something tugged at his sleeve. "_Daniel! Whatever happened to no one left behind?"_ Vala screeched.

Daniel closed his eyes and dragged Mitchell through to the SGC.

"Close the iris!" Someone yelled and the metallic scrap slowed before snapping shut with unthinkable finality.

Vala, hands on her hips, scowled up at Walter.

"Where's Miss Mal Doran?" General Landry called down.

Before Vala could complete some indignant reply, Sam, voice choked, uttered, "She didn't make it sir…" Her voice caught and she didn't continue.

Teal'c took a step forward. To those who did not know him well he sounded calm and rational; he was not. "We were attacked by unknown assailants. ValaMalDoran was vaporized, GeneralLandry. There was nothing to bring back."

"What!?" Both the General and Vala said at once.

Only Daniel heard both replies. His jaw clinched, and he sucked in a breath trying to take hold of his overwrought mind.

Vala pinched Daniel's arm and he flinched. _"Alright, obviously not dead,"_ she told him smugly. "_Tell them, Daniel. I am anything but vaporized! Look at me! Daniel, look at me!"_

Turning his head in her direction, Daniel looked right at her and his stomach lurched. He could hear her, see her and feel her. But it was plainly apparent that no one else could.

Someone took Mitchell but Daniel remained rooted to the spot at the top of the ramp. Fear rippled up from deep inside. He was going crazy. He'd witnessed it all; there was no denying what had happened. The sound of zat fire had been etched into his mind for more than a decade.

Daniel heard the general call his name with the order to report to the infirmary. He pivoted on his heels and slammed his fist into the unyielding Stargate.

Unbeknownst to him, his phantom had taken off in a huff, down the ramp and out the door - so that when he looked back and didn't see her, he assumed the pain had dissipated the apparition from his mind. Cradling his bleeding and probably broken hand, Daniel headed for the infirmary under the watchful eye of two SF's... somebody had already noticed he was nuts.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

In an effort to clear his head, to not think, he concentrated on the pain in his hand. But still, he could not stop running the scene over and over. She was gone. Just like that! Gone. Quirky, lovely, silly, annoying, beautiful Vala was gone.

His eyes stung. He didn't know how long he could hold on. The urge to scream gripped him. If only, if only, if only…batted around in his head.

Someone cut his jacket and tee shirt off. There were voices all around him, buzzing like a swarm of bees. His heart raced. Bile rose. Everyone kept calling his name, but he couldn't force his mouth open to speak.

Not in a million years would he have thought he could snap. Having been through so much tragedy in his life, he should be able to withstand this. But his entire body trembled with the effort to keep himself under control. He couldn't bear the thought of her being…dead. "Oh, God. Not Vala. Not Vala."

Carolyn was tending to his hand, ordering x-rays, speaking slowly and sympathetically to him. "I know, Daniel. I know." She looked stricken. As if she could barely contain her own misery at the news. Sam was behind him, probably on the next bed. Her silence interrupted only by the distinct hum of withheld tears.

He overheard the surgeon speaking with Carolyn about Mitchell and saw them roll the colonel out towards the operating room. He twisted around. Sam was behind him, head down. Then in the next bed, Teal'c sat quietly, eyes closed. Looking forward again he stared at the empty bed in front of him. She should be sitting there grinning at him.

"I think I might throw up," he whispered and a nurse rushed over with a pan. But he shook his head. "No. I'm okay now."

They rolled in the portable x-ray. The med techs were moving around, in silence, taking readings and cleaning and dressing wounds.

Daniel let his head drop when Carolyn began to set the cast on his hand. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Teal'c had stepped forward, silently standing sentinel beside him.

Carolyn constantly looked from her work to Daniel, her concern evident. "It's broken. I'm sure you know that. I'll give you something for pain."

"NO!"

"Daniel?"

"No, I need it right now. Okay?" His voice trembled.

The doctor nodded and went back to her task.

Sam, as if waking from a nightmare, began to speak some technical jargon about strange readings noted while she worked on the DHD. Then she went silent again.

The room became very still, as if no one dared to breathe. Daniel felt someone crawl on the bed behind him and felt the feather light touch of hair as her forehead rested against his back. _"Darling. I'm fine. Really."_

He could feel Vala's hand gently touch his shoulder. "You're dead." He mumbled and Carolyn's eyes lifted curiously.

"_What exactly do you mean by dead?"_

"You're dead, Vala!" He snapped out. "Without life!"

Carolyn stopped wrapping his hand and glanced at Teal'c and then Sam with concern.

Teal'c only raised a brow as Sam left her bed and came around to stand beside Carolyn.

"Daniel?" Sam reached to touch him.

He flinched back, squeezing his eyes closed.

"_Not dead, Daniel. Can't you feel me?"_

"I saw you," he cried, "shot with that beam. Three times. You were…were…" Daniel raised his other arm, covering his eyes.

Carolyn called for a sedative. The others were trying to speak to him, but he couldn't really make out what they were asking.

"_Am I a ghost, then?" _There was the slightest touch of fear to her voice.

"You're a fig…" He jerked when the needle went into his arm. "A figment of my imagination."

"Lay back, Daniel." Carolyn assisted him back to the pillow, checked his vitals and watched as the sedative relaxed his features and he slept.

"This isn't good." Carolyn said as she finished the cast and began to clean up.

_Vala scowled. "Hmpph! A figment? Do I look like a figment?"_

But no one answered her.

TBC~


	3. Chapter 3

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

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Chapter Three:

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Strutting back into the infirmary hours later, Vala looked around before stopping at Daniel's bed and propping her six by his feet. _How many figments, darling, do you know that can eat and drink and shower? Do ghosts do that? What about phrases, or phasers or whatevers? Does one eat and drink…did you?_

"That's strange," Sam commented from the side of Mitchell's bed where he lay sleeping.

"_What's strange, Samantha_?"

"Everything is spiking again, just like on that planet."

"_You can hear me!" _Vala hopped off of the foot of Daniel's bed and took a step towards Sam. But she stopped suddenly when Sam walked right through her and went to check on Daniel. _"Apparently not - how very disturbing. Is Daniel ever going to wake up again? Poor Daniel. He didn't even know he cared and now look at him! Don't you think it's a bad idea for Carolyn to keep filling him up with sedatives? Why does no one listen to me?"_

Sam stowed the sensor back in her pocket, looking gloomy. "I have to go," she told her two sleeping teammates, "so I hope you both sleep for a few more hours. General Landry wants to meet with Teal'c and me to…to plan Vala's memorial service." Shaking her head sadly, Sam turned and left.

Vala was right behind her. "_Memorial Service? For Me? That's so sweet. But unnecessary. Really. I'm not dead. At least I don't think I am. I'm starving, you know?"_

When Sam continued unaware, Vala tried to grab at her sleeve, but her hand went right through the colonel. _"I can't survive on stashed chocolate. Though I suppose I could sneak into the mess hall when no one is about. Samantha, could I be, you know, in another dimension? Like you and Cameron were once? And like Daniel. But more like Daniel since he can see me? I couldn't possibly be dead. That just won't work for me. Did you know that Daniel kissed me the morning we left?"_

Vala stopped in the middle of the hall holding her arms out as SG-3 come from the other direction. They nodded solemnly to Sam. When they walked right through Vala, she laughed, then ran forward to catch up with Sam.

"Carter?" Colonel Reynolds called, turning halfway around.

Sam's head pivoted slowly in his direction.

"Any word on the memorial?"

"Sometime later today we'll decide. Teal'c and I are meeting with General Landry."

"We'll be back tomorrow. I want to be there." Reynolds turned to catch up with his team.

"_Actually, this could work to my advantage. Since no one can see me, if I snuggle up with Daniel to sleep, no one will know." _She looked up to see Teal'c approaching. _"Hello, Muscles."_

Teal'c bowed his head slightly. "GeneralLandry is ready for us."

Sam covered her face with her hands. "I don't think I can do this."

"We must. We cannot leave it for DanielJackson to do. He is not…quite himself. He does not need to be burdened with this."

"I know. I've been thinking…has anyone contacted Jacek?"

"_Jacek! No. No way. Do not…"_

"GeneralLandry has 'put the word out'."

"_Oh, how very disturbing!"_

"Right. I'm ready as I'll ever be, let's go."

"How are ColonelMitchell and DanielJackson?"

As they proceeded down the hall, Vala walked behind them listening.

"Cam's resting comfortably. Daniel's still sedated. Every time he wakes up he has some one-sided conversation…with…Vala."

"That is unfortunate."

"Do you think he was in love with her?" Sam stopped just outside of Landry's office.

"I do indeed."

"Really? You seem awfully sure. Why is that?"

"Hmm." Was the only reply she got as Teal'c opened the door.

"_What if I'm really dead? Now!? Now when Daniel finally…okay, maybe I should be worried."_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

After pillaging through the mess hall kitchen Vala opted to return to Daniel's side. She had thought to change into something sexy. But didn't. What if her other clothes weren't ghosted. She wasn't really ready to have her sexy sleepwear wander the halls. Or to have others begin to suspect she was really there, a ghost. She wanted to keep that just for Daniel. He could see all of her and if others saw just her clothes, things might get a little wonko. Not yet, she decided. She had to convince Daniel she was really here. She needed that. She didn't want to be a ghost haunting the SGC.

At 0400 she removed her boots and jacket, stuck them under his bed, and crawled in beside him. Daniel stirred. Vala brushed his brow with her fingers, sighing sadly. "_I watched a movie once. It was about a ghost who loved a living person. And this living person was a widow and she fell in love with the ghost and then eventually she died and was with the ghost. I'm telling you this just in case I am a ghost so that you know I will be with you until you die and then we can be together. Like we discussed. That morning before I…before all this happened."_

Rolling to his side, Daniel murmured something as he settled against her back.

"_You said we would talk about, you know, us and what our future together might be. And you said, exactly…because I remember every word…. 'I can't promise this will work out, Vala, but we will talk and see if we can't come up with some solution'. Well, darling, this is not exactly what I had in mind. But it just might work."_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The days began to run together. Daniel wised up quickly and began to speak and act as though he were truly dealing with Vala's loss. Released, but stuck on base, he'd spent every night in Vala's room…after sneaking across the hall. No sense in letting everyone know he'd gone completely insane. He found he could not deal with her loss, obviously, since he was seeing her, hearing her and most disturbingly, feeling her when she touched him. He did not believe in ghosts...though recently he had been wondering about the prospect.

He tried as best he could to ignore her chatter when they … he was around others.

They never heard a word from Jacek. And Daniel had vowed to find him and let him know. To which his lovely poltergeist had commented, 'over my dead body'. He'd laughed at that, and then hung his head in despair.

Everyday he got crazier. Giving in to his needs, he would spend each night barely sleeping with the apparition tightly embraced against him. Feeling the rise and fall of her breath. Smelling the sweet aroma of her hair. The agonizing pressure of her six pressed into his groin.

He had begged for a small private memorial, but in the end realized Vala had many close friends and colleagues who wanted to be present.

Somehow he would get through the service, and then he would take the three week leave Landry suggested while Mitchell healed. He wanted to be away from those who would discover his mental state. But he had a feeling it could already be to late. One or the other of his team had caught him talking to her…more than once.

He doubted he would ever recover. It was getting worse. He'd fallen prey to his unstable psyche.

Last night he had kissed the phantom.

TBC~


	4. Chapter 4

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

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Chapter Four:

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Teal'c had agreed to speak only because the others were too distraught. From the podium his eyes scanned the crowd in the Gateroom and up in the control room before his gaze returned to his teammates.

DanielJackson trembled, fists clinched, eyes red and hollow. His dark suit, though recently pressed, appeared rumbled around his middle but still contrasted somewhat with his otherwise unkempt appearance.

ColonelMitchell sat in a wheelchair his expression bleak.

ColonelCarter did not lift her face. Teal'c suspected she feared she could not hold back the tears.

Teal'c himself could feel the sting of unshed tears, like many others who'd come to pay their respects to their comrade. It had been many years since he had felt emotions rise so strongly.

O'Neill stood behind ColonelCarter, his hand lightly on her shoulder, but his gaze was locked on his friend, DanielJackson.

GeneralLandry, soft spoken and strong, had delivered the opening and turned the memorial over to Teal'c.

"ValaMalDoran," Teal'c began, pausing briefly.

"_Yes, Muscles?" _Vala squeezed her arms around Daniel's waist.

"ValaMalDoran," the Jaffa began again, "was a beloved teammate. She came to us in the oddest of manners, but proved herself worthy - more than worthy to wear the patches of Stargate Command and SG-1. And she wore them proudly. And we were proud of her and her contribution to humanity. She was an enigma. A kind and loving person. A friend. Colleague. Comrade. A warrior of strength and intelligence," he stopped, thinking to himself, _a lover to DanielJackson for more than fifty years_…_something he will never know. _Lifting his gaze briefly to the man, Teal'c clinched his jaw in sorrow before continuing the eulogy.

Vala laid her head against Daniel's back and listened as Teal'c continued to expound on her character – surprised he could come up with so many things. "_Daniel?" _She could feel the tremors running unheeded through his body. _"Darling, it's alright. I'm here. I will never leave you. I promise." _

Daniel blocked the words from his friend on the ramp. He concentrated instead on the sensation of the hallucination that felt so real pressed against him. He could feel her weight, hear her words of comfort, and he knew that without her he would not be able to stand. He would crumble to the floor in misery.

Being insane had its virtues. Having gone so far over the edge, he found the illusion comforting, keeping heartbreak and hopelessness to a minimum. The decision had been made when he'd kissed the specter in his dreams, his fantasy. He wanted to be crazy, demented, unbalanced. It certainly felt better.

Vala had been peeking over the crowd when her team members walked up the ramp to toss the exquisite wreath through the Stargate. The pink satin sash read 'Forever our Princess' in glitter. Very appropriate. She had overheard Cameron suggest that one. Tiny pink roses in several hues sprung from the lush greenery. Vala felt like crying herself it was all so lovely.

It felt good to hear and see that the people really did care for her. Many cried at the loss and she wished fervently that she could let them know she was fine. Funny, how one does not really know their own worth until...death.

Everyone should be able to attend their own memorial service just to see how deeply others cared. She did fit in. She was accepted. Even General Landry looked as if he would cry. And Jack. She'd never seen him so somber. Bill Lee looked pale. Colonel Reynolds blinked continuously. Carolyn never took her gaze off of the wreath, her face void of any emotion. But one look into her eyes revealed her sorrow.

Suddenly, Vala spotted something and dashed up the ramp coming to a halt beside Daniel. _"My giraffe! Daniel, you can't let them heave him through the Stargate, out into the universe to drift all alone for eternity! You have to save him!"_

Daniel snatched the toy from the wreath along with two of the pink roses. Sam began to cry, Jack having to come up to steady her. Teal'c bowed, his eyes misting. Carolyn, keeping a firm grip on Cam's wheelchair, let out a haunting sigh.

Cam only grinned through his tears. "Good plan, Jackson."

The wreath was set against the open Stargate. It drifted through, disappearing into oblivion. Just like Vala had.

Daniel squeezed the hand that took his, not knowing whose it was. Sam's probably, since she was the one to whisper, 'goodbye'. His other hand, the casted one, held the giraffe. His phantom stood glumly beside him staring wide eyed at the Stargate. He had the sudden urge to laugh.

Jack rested a strong hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I say we all have a piece of the girly pink princess cake T ordered."

Daniel, not wanting to appear too unhinged, nodded with the hint of a sad smile that remained from watching the figment of his imagination looking so put out by the near loss of her giraffe.

"_You better save me a piece of that cake!"_

"I will." He answered her, and Jack nodded thinking Daniel had agreed with him.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sam stopped by just as Daniel finished boxing some books to take home with him. "Leaving so soon?"

He looked up, his blue eyes, with red lines and rims, matched hers. "I have to go. I need some time. You?"

She shook her head emphatically. "I have something I really need to work on. I have to, you know, to keep myself in check."

"Right." Daniel closed the box, grabbed his laptop, and hefted the carton into his arms.

"Can I call you?"

He hesitated, not wanting to hurt her feelings. "Only if you really need to, at first anyway."

"Sure." She kissed his cheek then half hugged him around the box. "I love you, don't…don't leave us for good. I couldn't bear that."

"Okay."

She let him go.

Vala stood watching Sam watching Daniel leave. _"I promise I will take good care of him and make him happy again." _She blew a kiss to Sam and followed Daniel out.

TBC~


	5. Chapter 5

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

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Chapter Five: **Warning…rated high T or little M for ghostly delights**.

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Exhaustion nearly crippled him after the first few days at his apartment. But he had to be sleeping; he just wasn't getting any rest. It must be the dreams. Maybe sleepwalking, otherwise, who else was turning on the lights? Showering? Cooking? Making a complete mess of his apartment?

In jeans and shirtless, unshaven and disheveled, Daniel took a turn around the apartment turning the lights out. He wanted it to be bleak. Dismal.

"_Daniel! Stop it!"_

He rubbed his tired eyes. No use arguing with a dead woman. He flipped the lights back on. "Fine! Let's be light and happy, shall we?"

"_You just love being stricken don't you? I'll bet you conjured up all the tragedies in your life and lumped them into one big ball of despair! Poor Daniel. So hopelessly crushed. Plunged into sorrow. Well, darling, I'm getting tired of it! What's wrong with being happy?"_

"You're dead."

"_I'm here."_

"In my head."

"_No!" _The apparition stomped her foot. _"Not in your head! Right here! Did you not kiss me?"_

"A hallucination, dream, fantasy."

"_Daniel, I've been feeling weak, like I'm beginning to fade! You can't let that happen. You have to believe. You have to save me. I think if you believe I'm here then I will be. I don't want to be dead."_

"Dead. Dead and gone. Three Zat-like shots. Completely wiped out. Right before my eyes."

"_So. Only you and the others are privy to phasing? Or to some wonko life force? I'm just dead and gone. Well, this is not my first radio!"_

"Rodeo."

"_I've been dead before. Remember? Burned?"_

Glaring, he took a step towards her. "Stop! I don't want to think about it."

She came to stand close in front of him, placing a hand on his cheek_. "Does that not feel real? Do you really want me to just fade away so you can be miserable? Wallow in your aching void? You promised me, Daniel. You said we could work it out. Do you truly want me to go? I'm afraid."_

"No." He whispered, taking her in his arms. "I'd rather be batty. I'd rather live like this then to see you go." Burying his face in her the crook of her neck he sighed. He was lost to the world of insanity. And he never wanted to be sane again. Sanity would dissolve her. He couldn't bear that. "I'm sorry. I need you; even if you are a ghost…you must be a ghost."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Jack leaned against the door frame to Carter's lab watching her. Dark, except for the desk lamp and laptop, the room was eerily quiet. The occasion blink of some gadget light waxed and waned intermittently.

"Whatcha working on?"

She didn't flinch having felt his presence for the past few minutes. "The readings I took on the planet."

He sauntered in, hands in pockets, "And all the blinking doohickies? And the stacks of folders?"

"Research."

"Not to the point of sharing yet, eh?" His hands came out of his pockets and he placed them on the back of her chair.

"The numbers aren't adding up. But there's something there. In both the readings from the planet and the ones I got here after we returned."

"Like what?"

Frustrated with the interruption, she sighed and glared at him.

"Don't give me that look, Carter. You're on to something and I know it."

"I've been doing some variation scans. Checking out some naquadah reactions to some energy wave patterns. "

"Uh oh."

"The fluctuations reminded me of something."

"Uh huh? I'm still listening… don't go too far past variations and fluctuations."

"Remember when I had the entity downloaded in me?"

"I'd rather not. So…you're trying to tell me that Daniel isn't necessarily crazy? Or is it that you're too emotionally involved?"

"No. That's what kept me from seeing it before. Too emotionally involved and not thinking."

"Okay. Dinner still on tonight?"

"Sorry. This one's a doozie."

"Leprechauns and Auntie M's?"

She hesitated, then smiled. "No Lepton radiation. But the EMs are there."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"_Could you order the pizza? I keep calling but they just keep saying 'Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?"_

Once he knew he couldn't let her spirit go, Daniel's mood lightened a bit. He even laughed at some of her antics. _See, insanity has its strong points. _

"_Call for the pizza, darling. We want to have it while we watch Ghost Hunters on television."_

"Ghost Hunters?"

"_Yes. And we're going to write things down. Then when you feel you are ready, we are going to get Muscles and Cameron and Samantha to come over. We'll have Samantha bring some of the equipment these people use. We will prove to them that I'm really here."_

"I've been in a padded cell before. I didn't like it."

"_Don't be such a scaredy cat! They won't turn you in."_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"_Daniel? Why don't you ever speak my name anymore?"_

Propped up in bed, he looked away.

"_Because you still think I'm not real? I'm still that figment thingie in your head?"_ She crawled on the bed, pulled off her top.

He slammed his eyes shut. His fantasies were getting a little out of hand, even for someone who possessed such havoc in his psyche.

Vala encircled his wrist bringing his hand up to cup one of her breasts.

"Don't." But he let his hand stay cupped around her. "Not real. It's not real."

"_Really?" _Vala straddled him, pressing against him. _"And this, Daniel?"_

"You're not real. Not…you. An illusion, a fantasy."

"_And this?" _She ran a hand across his stomach, downward, slipping into the waist band of his pajama bottoms, cupping him. _"Does this feel real?"_

"Oh, God. Yes. Real." His head pressed against the pillow. "Shit! I'm so lost. So out of my mind. It feels so real. I can't tell anymore."

"_And do you love me?"_

"Yes. Through eternity."

"_Always?"_

"Always."

A smile spread across her face as Daniel removed the barriers between them. His and hers. Until naked flesh met.

"_Say my name, Daniel."_ She took him in hand and guided him as she lowered herself.

"Vala. Wonderful, loving, beautiful, Vala."

"_Am I real, darling?"_

"Very." His fingers dug into her hips, pacing her movements.

"_Are your sure? Or are you crazy?" _Her head went back, she arched into him.

"You are real to me. Vala, I'm in love you. And I've lost the chance to tell you."

TBC~


	6. Chapter 6

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Chapter Six:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Sunshine penetrated his eyelids. He smelled coffee, bacon and something else he could not identify. Daniel rose from the bed naked. He'd told a ghost, a dead woman, he loved her. He remembered the fantasy from last night. Making love with … her. It seemed so real. _That's just freaking nuts! What if somebody knew? Holy Buckets! _He rubbed his face. At some point he had awoken, made coffee and breakfast.

_Nuts! Nuts! Totally nuts!_ Pulling on his pajama bottoms he headed for the kitchen knowing his lovely hallucination would be there. And what if she wasn't a figment of his imagination? What if she were a ghost? What if somehow, she was coming though from another dimension?

Surreal. He'd seen her hit by the beam that totally eradicated her. He had to stop thinking she was real. But how? What if she were real? What if she were trapped in… No! Vala was dead. At least to everyone else. To him, she lived in his head. His fantasies. He could…would live with that.

He turned the corner from the hall and saw the table set for two. Pancakes, bacon, syrup, coffee. He had done that, in his sleep. Turned on the lights. Even used a table cloth. He was daft. Out of control! But then again. Maybe not. Maybe, just maybe, she was real. But how? He'd seen crazier things.

"Good morning," he said, now unsure if she was real or not.

She grinned. _"Good morning. Hungry?"_

"Starving." Coming to her side he kissed her, then took a seat.

"_Still think its all unreal?"_

"I'm not sure."

"_At last, darling. I'm not very hungry. And I feel so tired and a bit weak."_

He looked up from his coffee. "…Vala. You are real. At least to me."

Vala walked up to him. _"I think it's time to call in the team. We need help."_

Daniel took her hand. "What?"

"_I don't think I have very long, now. We need Samantha."_

He came out of the chair.

"_Look, darling,"_ she pulled at her waistband showing him identical thumb bruises on each side of her hips. _"Real. See?" _She turned around tugging her pants down in the back, her head twisted towards him. "_And these," _she said revealing the fingerprint bruises. _"And my hands and feet. I can see through them."_

Totally taken aback by the bruises he'd left on her hips, Daniel felt overwhelmed. Real? It had to be real. Taking her hands in his he inspected them. "They look fine."

"_NO! Look closely."_

He did. Sure enough, her hands were pale and luminescent. Heart lurching he pulled her into an embrace. Held her close.

"_I know I'm not dead. I'm not a ghost. I'm real. I'm trapped somewhere other than in this realm. I need help. Quickly. Please believe me."_

Kissing her hard, he knew no matter the consequences, he had to do something. "I'm calling Sam. The team. I believe you."

"_No you don't. Not really. I know you want to. But whatever, you will sacrifice anything to help me – even if you're not sure."_

Holding her face in his hands he grinned at her. "Anything."

Letting go, he went in search of his cell phone. Coming back into the room, he saw her…Vala…sitting at the table. He dialed Sam.

"Hey. No, fine. Listen. I need your help. I know you all think I'm crazy. And you're right. But if you want to help me; if you want me to face reality, I need you to do something for me. Sam, I need you to bring some equipment to my place. I need all of you here. Please."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"They should be here in about an hour and a half." Daniel sipped his coffee, lounging back in the chair watching Vala in his kitchen. Wondering. Hoping.

"_I'll clean up." _She came in from the kitchen carrying the coffee pot.

How can that be? How could she eat, touch him, if she was really trapped? How? He didn't really care. Taking the pot from her he set it on the table and took her hand. "Let's go back to bed while we wait. Just in case."

"_In case of what?"_

He stopped, head dropping, sigh escaping. Speaking quietly with a hint of shyness, he raised sparkling blue eyes. "Just in case I am demented…and Sam proves it…I…I want to…"

"_Make love?" _ Vala grinned widely, teeth clamped and eyes twinkling, as she twisted back in forth.

"Yes." Pulling her behind him down the hall Daniel smiled. Whether he was having some kind of adolescent fantasy or she was real, didn't really matter anymore.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The scene that greeted the rest of the team upon entering Daniel's apartment created a domino effect. Sam stopping in wide-eyed amazement, Cam bumping into her back and staring open mouthed over her shoulder, and Teal'c unable to stop his momentum, slammed into Mitchell sending the group stumbling forward.

Daniel, in jeans and T-shirt, stood aside. All three of the others stared transfixed at the table littered with two plates, two cups, and half eaten food. The living room was strewn with magazines, empty beer cans, blankets, a pizza box, various take out boxes and bags, and plates with unrecognizable residue affixed.

"Aw boy, this is bad." Sam whispered to her companions.

"Indeed. DanielJackson, what is going on?"

"Oh, breakfast. Ahm, er, Vala cooked breakfast. We ate. I'm out of my mind, or there's something else going on. That's why you're here."

"I see." Teal'c raised a brow.

"Looney tunes." Cam commented in earnest.

"Yep. Come on in, let's set up some equipment and see if I've got a ghost. No one's leaving here until you prove I'm…looney tunes and take me off in a straight jacket, or you find…"

"I'm getting those same readings again. Something is definitely going on." Sam, sensor in hand, walked around.

"Perhaps it's some alien entity, posing as ValaMalDoran?" Teal'c, hands behind his back began to survey the room more closely.

Cam sat down at the table. "Looks good. Your alien or poltergeist cooked this?"

"Or I did, and don't remember." Daniel confessed sitting down at the table across from Mitchell. "It never occurred to me it could be some alien. Jeez!" They all looked at him and he blushed. What if he'd been…with some alien? Okay, not nuts, just stupid.

"_I'm not an alien, darling. Well, not a different one."_ Vala plopped down in his lap.

"You could be."

"_No."_

"Well, of course you're not going to admit it!"

"_It's me! I've been possessed before; don't you think I would know?"_

"Not necessarily. Qetesh was different. You had some part of you that remained aware."

"_That's frightening! I never thought of that."_

After a moment, Daniel glanced up to see his friends looking at him oddly. "Can't hear her? Can't see her?I do. I have since we left the planet."

Sam walked over pointing her sensor at Daniel. "It's you!"

"Nope. There's Vala the ghost, Vala the figment, or Vala the alien in my lap."

"_Remember, I'm already an alien, so that doesn't count." _Vala stood and headed for the bedroom.

The readings on the sensor dropped lower and Sam swung it around seeking the spike again.

"She left the room." Daniel explained. "So…nuts?"

"I don't think so. I've been theorizing. Researching Merlin's device and the information on the Crystal Skull. Those didn't really fit, but its close. I ran simulations with zats and what I got on the planet. Used some naquadah. But I haven't been able to find the correct correlation. There's a connection missing."

"But you suspect there's somethin' there?" Cam leaned forward, curious.

Sam only nodded in frustration. "I didn't mention anything because I was…concerned it was emotional instead of theoretical. Then I realized it's the opposite. Still…I didn't want to…"

"Get our hopes up?" Cam sat back again.

"And what of the possibility of alien influence?" Teal'c took a seat on one side of Mitchell while Sam took the one on the other side.

Across the table Daniel dropped his head. "Back to square one." He looked up to Sam.

"I can't believe we just all gave up on her. Except for you, Daniel."

"Pphh! I just thought I was psychotic…or worse." His back to the hallway, Daniel watched as his teammates suddenly sat up straight, eyes went wide and mouths dropped open.

"_Boo."_

Coming slowly around, Daniel burst out laughing. There stood his sheet, two hollow eyes cut out, draped across what must be Vala.

Teal'c shot out of his chair. Mitchell mumbled, "son of a bitch" and Sam closed her eyes a second in relief, before they flew open again with concern.

"_I'm not a ghost."_

"She says she's not a ghost."

"_Or a figment of Daniel's quite sexy imagination." _The sheet head got tossed back. _"He's quite hot, you know."_

"Or a figment of my imagination."

"_And I don't feel like I'm possessed by some unknown indemnity."_

"And doesn't feel she's possessed by some unknown…entity."

Cam squinted at the sheet. "How'd she do that?"

"Static electricity." Sam said offhandedly, carefully approaching the sheet, her eyes locked on the sensor as the readings jumped off the scale. "I think you are. I think I just figured this out!"

TBC~


	7. Chapter 7

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Chapter Seven:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

thanks to Denny for the beta-s!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"_Daniel?"_ Vala's voice seemed to call him from far off.

Before Sam could explain her newest theory, the sheet crumpled to the floor, billowing out like a lopsided pancake.

Teal'c moved quickly, followed by Cam who literally leapt over the table.

Daniel had pulled her sheeted form up into his lap and snatched the covering away. He gasped, retrieving the cover and laying it quickly across her naked form. "Vala? Sweetheart?"

Her eyes fluttered open.

From the point of view of the other teammates there appeared a headless body shrouded in a crisp white sheet in Daniel's arms.

"_I think I fainted."_

Daniel took a quick look up at his friends, then down again to Vala. "Fainted?"

"She fainted?" Sam dropped to her knees beside Daniel.

"Is she unwell?" Teal'c asked solemnly.

At the same time Mitchell spoke, "Damn, princess, you scared the bejesus out of me! I reckon it's been a while since I've seen a ghost…much less one who faints."

As Vala sat up the sheet puddled around where her waist should be.

Daniel blushed, tugging it back upwards and tucking it under her arms. Both Mitchell and Teal'c looked away.

"She's nekked, right?" Cam coughed, looking out the window.

"Yep. I'll just help her to the…."

"No!" Sam manipulated the scanner running it closer to the sheet. "There's hardly any reading at all now. The field splits and converges again. Something's going wrong. We need to get her to the SGC. Now!" Grabbing the radio on her shoulder, Sam thumbed it and requested an emergency beam-out to the infirmary.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Trust me, Carolyn!" Sam yelled as Daniel took the veiled form through the doors and on into the main infirmary observation room. "I need some equipment from my lab." Sam said to no one in particular.

"I'm on my way, Carter, I'll call on the radio when I get there and you can tell me what to bring." Mitchell took off at a run.

"I will accompany you." Teal'c rushed out behind Mitchell.

Carolyn lifted the sheet from the form and pulled back in shock.

"It's Vala. She's out of phase." Sam commented sadly. "Carolyn, we can't hook her up to the monitors, but Daniel can see her, so he can help."

"She hasn't eaten or drank much in the last few days." Voice shaking, Daniel informed the doctor.

Vala's eyes fluttered open. Running a hand over her face, Daniel spoke softly. "Hey. You're gonna be fine. We've got you in the base infirmary. We'll take care of you. We'll get you back."

"_I remember… hearing someone trying to speak to me…in my head..."_ The words barely cleared her lips before she passed out again.

Daniel repeated the words to Sam who gave a nod of confirmation as though it were expected.

"I don't know how we're going to do this since she's…not really here." Concern clouded Sam's blue eyes. "I've figured out the rhythm, and I can actually separate the two signals into a program to monitor them on the laptop. But I need some time to run some simulations. And…the signals are getting weaker."

Mitchell and Teal'c arrived with carts of equipment and laptops.

"I hate to ask Sam, but…not a ghost, right?" Daniel noted the smile from Sam and felt relieved.

"I think someone, or something, is in there with her."

"It's killing her!?" Daniel grew pale, stepping back in horror.

"I'm not sure, but I don't think so…not intentionally. She's stable now, Daniel. We just need to find out how to bring her back."

Taking a firm, steadying grip on Daniel's arm, Teal'c questioned Sam. "But why can we not see ValaMalDoran as DanielJackson does?"

"I haven't figured that out…yet." Her fingers danced over the keyboards, knobs and switches like a concert pianist. "Actually, that's part of why I'm having trouble coming to one conclusion...how Daniel can see her. But I have a theory. I'm going to find out for sure if there is in fact something in her then try and reach the entity. This could take a while."

"_I'm thirsty."_

"You're awake." Daniel reached for the water glass and, bending the straw, held it for Vala to drink.

The others watched, fascinated.

Cam placed a hand where one of Vala's feet tented the sheet. "Hey, princess, I'm sorry. We almost left you behind." He looked at Daniel. "She can hear me? Right?"

Daniel nodded, mumbling, "stupid."

"Yeah, that's what I meant." Shaking his head, Cam started to walk away.

"No. Me. Not you guys. I thought I was crazy."

"As did we." Teal'c confessed honestly.

"_I feel better, darling. But I could use some Jell-o."_

"Blue?"

"_Orange would be nice."_

"Orange it is. I'll run get you some."

"Jell-o?" Cam asked.

"Yeah."

"I'll get it."

"ColonelMitchell. I would like a cheeseburger."

"Sure, buddy." Cam started for the door.

Biting her lip, Sam thought a moment. "Um, Cam, maybe see if they have any of those chocolate raspberry muffins."

"Okay."

Carolyn added, "Could you bring me one of those protein drinks from the cooler?"

Cam looked at Daniel. "Jackson?"

"No. I'm fine. Okay, maybe some coffee."

Teal'c turned to follow Cam, "Perhaps I should assist you."

Once they were gone, Carolyn questioned Daniel. "She's been eating?"

"Eating, drinking, showering. I could see her, feel her. Just like I can see you, feel you…well, not exactly…it was…well…"

"Whoa, enough information." Sam held up both hands as Carolyn smiled and turned away.

Daniel sat on the side of the bed, brushing the hair from Vala's face. "It was strange."

"I can imagine." Sam went back to her equipment and started inputting new data.

TBC~


	8. Chapter 8

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

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Chapter Eight:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

**A/N: There are few technical explanations in this chapter that are mine. The bulk of explanations come from the genius mind of Myosotis13, without whom this chapter would have been very short - with gaping holes. Thanks be to you Myosotis13!**

**And thanks Denny for the beta.**

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Don't you think she'd look better with the sheet over her head?"

"Hey, Jack."

"Daniel."

Daniel laid his book aside and stretched. "What time is it?

"0300. And you don't look so good. Dark circles just aren't in style right now." Jack looked across to the other side of the bed where Carter calculated, hypothesized, and tapped, tapped, tapped away on her laptop unaware of them. He turned back to Daniel. "Stop with the guilt trip."

Taking his glasses off, Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. "After all these years how could I have just overlooked the obvious?"

Jack propped his six on the edge of Vala's bed. "Obvious? Let me remind you what was obvious to all of you. The distinct whine of what obviously sounded like a zat. The fact that she was knocked out by the first hit, stopped breathing and had no heart beat at the second and most importantly, Daniel, disappeared as if vaporized on the third. And after all these years what would that tell you?"

The scrape of a chair suddenly shoved back got both men's attention. "Ah boy! Look! It's telling me that the inhabitants of that world exist in the form of electronic impulses. That they wanted to 'examine' this new species. That, in effect, the first 'hit' was one of the creatures trying to download itself into Vala's consciousness. It didn't work because human physiology was too foreign to them. The energy of the alien, unable to come into phase with the human cellular electric field, dissipated."

Cam, half asleep on a chair in the corner, blinked awake. "Huh, how'd it do that?"

"It's coming through my sensor and feeding into the monitoring program. I understand why I couldn't make sense of the scans before. I never considered an alien electronic impulse into the equation. I kept running all the data through zat fields and everything I could find on alternate dimensions. Crystal Skull. Merlin's device." Sam turned back to her laptop, running another scan quickly. The screen filled with symbols and numbers that danced in rhythm. "Attempting to transfer itself again, the second shot - via electronic signal - interfered with the polarity of her cell membranes and in the end the electrical impact just ended up stopping Vala's heart."

Teal'c came to stand behind Sam. "Same as a second shot from a Zat nik tel?"

"Exactly!" Sam's voice filled with excitement.

Jack gave Daniel the 'I told you so' glare.

"Not intending harm, they tried to fix the problem."

"Son of a bitch." Cam scratched the back of his head.

Sam, reading her screen and typing at the same time, continued. "They readjusted the fields and tried again. The third time it worked. The third 'hit' was actually the creature having adjusted the intensity, voltage and frequency of its electric field to match the impulses her body generated. It also jump-started her heart again."

"Like a defibrillator?" Daniel reached under the sheet and took Vala's hand.

"Right."

"The entity didn't consider that its own electric impulses, heightened by the electric field already caused by the energy dissipated from the first attempt, would react with the naquadah in Vala's body."

Cam squeezed his forehead. "Naquadah is a superconductor, highly sensitive to the flow of electric charge."

The other three turned to stare at the colonel.

"What? I told you…"

"Yeah, you read the reports." Daniel had to sit down to take it all in, his hand still clasped with Vala's.

Jack rolled his eyes, massaging his temples.

Sam took a deep breath, stepping back again towards the monitor. "The interaction caused a momentary surge that sent them both out of phase."

"ColonelCarter? What did you mean by 'them'?" Teal'c was studying the headless sheet with concern.

"The being is trapped. It's unable to generate electric pulses strong enough to defeat the attraction field of the naquadah molecules in her body."

"Ack, Carter, more English less technobabble."

Sam sat in her chair, feeling tired. "Like when you are trying to pry apart two magnets, if one of them is too strong the second one won't come loose unless you pull really hard. The alien has been trying to leave her. That's what kept creating the spikes. But it's not strong enough. Even though Vala only has traces of naquadah, we all know how it reacts to strong electric impulses. They are basically locked out of phase until we manage to stop it."

"How do we do that?" Daniel rose from his chair at the same time Sam came out of hers.

"I'm working on it."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Jack closed his tired eyes, head shaking to relieve the image of a mint green infirmary gown sitting up in the bed. By itself. Just the gown.

Cam watched the headless sheet and gown began to move. "What's she doin' now?"

"Straightening her hair." Daniel, sitting on the bed beside the gown, reached over and ran his hand through the air where her head should be.

Jack huffed. "What if we painted her? You know, pink for skin, black for hair. Some gray-greenish dots for eyes, red for nose and mouth?"

Daniel scowled at the general.

"Ah. There's the Daniel I know." Jack grinned, then slunk down in his chair, crossing his arms, closing his eyes and drifting off for a nap.

"I need to talk to Bill Lee." Sam commented to no one in particular.

"Shall I bring him here?" Teal'c peered over Sam's shoulder.

"No. I need him to build a container. I'll email him the specs."

Carolyn, who'd stood quietly watching the monitors Sam had constructed, spoke up. "I think we need to get it here as fast as possible. Is there some way you can get the entity to stop fighting?"

Worry creased Sam's brow. "From what I can read here, they're both getting weaker."

When the computer monitor bleeped, escalating, then quickly returning to a steady rhythm, Daniel lifted piercing blue eyes to the back of Sam's head.

She turned, frowning slightly, speaking softly. "It's the entity."

"Try…" Daniel's tired voice cracked. "Trying to get out?"

Shaking her head and looking considerably more worried, Sam turned back to her work. "Trying to stay alive."

Daniel's face paled. "She's going to die…again." It was a statement not a question.

"Not if I have anything to do with it." The determination in Sam's voice gave him hope.

TBC~


	9. Chapter 9

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Chapter Nine:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Quiet settled over the infirmary. Sam's constant manipulation of the laptop keys lulled Jack and Cam into deep sleep in their chairs. Teal'c patrolled the room, hands behind his back, like a phantom dancer. Carolyn came and went frequently, checking her other cases but returning to stay vigilant over her invisible patient as much as possible.

Daniel held onto Vala's hand, relentlessly whispering endearments like a chant.

No one spoke as Bill Lee arrived, a square glass container tucked under his arm and wires wrapped around him like garland. Untangling himself he set the object on the table Sam had pulled close.

'Perfect', Sam mouthed hooking up the leads to her computer and immediately running simulations, head nodding with approval. Suddenly her sensors spiked then dropped to new low levels.

"Sam?" Daniel felt Vala's hand go limp.

"She's getting weaker." Sam looked at Carolyn.

"I can't administer any meds to stabilize her." Carolyn's voice sounded strained. "Daniel, you have got to keep checking her pulse, you can feel it, right? And her pupils. It's our backup."

Daniel nodded, already performing the tasks. "Pulse is…weak, thready. Pupils are uneven…lips sort of grayish." His eyes darted to Carolyn, his face washed out.

Carolyn looked equally unsettled. Her patient…her friend could be dying and there wasn't anything she could do for her as long as she remained out of phase. Gripping her fingers in tight fists, Carolyn approached Sam. "I have to do something!"

Frustrated, Sam closed her eyes a moment. "I know," she whispered, "I'm working on it."

Leaning close, Carolyn spoke softly, hoping no one else could hear her. "I think she's dying."

Turning her head, Sam looked at Daniel who appeared preoccupied with Vala. "I think that might be the solution to our problem." Her gaze still on Daniel, Sam wrote something for Carolyn.

"Daniel?" Carolyn walked to the bedside. "Could you get some blankets from the closet near my office?"

He blinked in confusion before understanding dawned, "Sure. She's probably cold." He squeezed Vala's hand and went in search of the blankets.

Weary and felling hopeless, Carolyn sank down into the chair beside Sam.

"If...if her heart stops, I think using the defibrillator over the sheet might just give the creature the strength it needs to break free." Sam took a quick look at the sheeted form behind her. "I don't think it will help Vala. But the energy should reach the entity. And then I can entice it into the container using the same frequency of the electromagnetic pulse I've been monitoring, matching its biosignature. But it's risky."

Carolyn buried her face in her hands for a moment, then looked up. "Right. So we just wait for her to die? And what about Daniel?"

"I should tell him. But if this works she should rematerialize, so you'd need to be ready."

"No other way to get it out?" Jack's voice surprised both of them.

They looked up to see him beside the bed, a hand resting on the lump of the sheet where one of Vala's arms was outlined.

Sam shook her head sadly.

Daniel entered the room at a run arms loaded with blankets and Jack took all but one setting them on the foot of the bed. Daniel covered Vala up to her chin with the other one. "There, better?"

The only response he got was Vala's head arching into the pillow and her eyes rolling back.

"She's not breathing! Her lips are turning blue! Shit! Carolyn!"

"She's crashing!" Carolyn yelled out, followed by a litany of instructions to her med team.

Sam entered data at lightening speeds as the med team rushed forward, pushing Daniel back, and preparing to assist in saving a patient none of them could see.

Daniel tried to push through the throng of nurses, doctors and techs, but found himself bound by Teal'c and Jack, and pulled back. Cam stood on the other side of Sam and Bill watching their every move.

Vala stopped moving.

To Daniel, the room seemed to spin out of control. He watched, eyes wide with fear, as Carolyn placed the paddles on the form lying still on the bed. Electricity charged the air.

"Clear!"

Bolts of colored light rose from the bed and settled again.

"Again!" Sam yelled.

"Clear!"

Vala's body arched up as a plume of rainbowed luminescence shot out from her chest in spikes. Then she went deathly still.

The entity, attracted by the familiar charge and the frequency patterns of the EM field, dove into the container.

Bill clamped the top on tightly. "That'll hold it, right?"

Sam pointed to the bottom of the container. "That and the magnetic bottom I had you put in."

Eyes narrowed, Daniel watched the colorful swirl inside the glass. "It lives and she dies. Clever move, Sam." He snatched his arms free and approached Vala's bed.

"Get him back!" Carolyn called out and the med team closed ranks as Jack and Teal'c once more took Daniel in hand.

He didn't bother to fight them. There was no reason to. He could see what others couldn't. Ashen and lifeless, dark hair limp around her face, Vala lay dead upon the bed. Eyes filling with tears he just stood there. He'd truly lost her. "Let me go to her," he begged. But they held him firm. "Please, Jack. Please."

His height helped him to see over the medical staff surrounding her. In perfect symmetry, they began to rip open sterile packs, pulled tubing, syringes, and other necessities out in anticipation. Carolyn hovered over the figure, paddles in hand.

A nurse, scissors in hand, split the fabric of the infirmary gown, ripping it aside. Daniel was shocked. Dr. Warner made quick work of an IV, a nurse hooked up the monitors. Carolyn called, "Clear!" once and placing the paddles on Vala's chest, jolted her again.

Instantly all the med monitors came to life, beeping continuously. The wave lines appeared, dancing across the screen with hills and valleys. Numbers popped up, beautiful, normal numbers. He was dreaming. He was crazy.

Vala's eyelids fluttered. Everyone but Carolyn stepped back. Jack and Teal'c let go of him and Daniel, completely unaware he was even moving, came up beside the bed. His eyes flicked across the bed to Sam, before he closed them for a moment in self reproach. When he looked again, Sam was smiling in understanding, then she raised a brow and shrugged. His gaze dropped back to Vala and noted the color in her face, the rise and fall of her breath.

"She's stable." Carolyn told him as she tucked the covers around Vala before moving away from the bed.

Jack laid a hand on his shoulder. "Daniel?"

"Hmmm?" He didn't take his eyes from her again.

"Is that a hickey on her neck?"

"You can see her?" Daniel whispered in awe.

"Yep. Me too." Cam, crinkly eye grin spreading across his face, came forward to place a hand on her knee. "Almost saw a little more than I should have."

"I too, see ValaMalDoran, and she looks quite peaceful. And if I may, I would say rather beautiful."

They all turned towards the Jaffa, whose voice had held a note of emotion they'd heard rarely from the man.

Without looking up, Daniel smiled, then clearing his throat he asked, "Why isn't she waking up?"

"I gave her a mild sedative. She needs to rest to regain her strength." Carolyn pulled a chair close to the bed. "Sit, Daniel. YOU can stay." She looked around at the others who nodded.

Sam and Bill began to gather the equipment.

"Whatcha gonna do with the light show?" Jack asked pointing to the glass container.

Before Sam could respond, Teal'c picked it up. "I shall escort it home. Immediately."

TBC~


	10. Chapter 10

Ghost Hunter

Spacegypsy1

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Chapter Ten:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

General Landry sat in the observation booth, staring down into the dimly lit room. Jack, arms crossed on the shelf in front of him, watched the monitors hover at normal on the video feed. Sam was beside him, head down on her arms, sleeping. Cam leaned against the wall, eyes closed.

They all stirred when the incoming wormhole announcement came through.

Sam's head popped up. "Teal'c's back."

"I'll go." Cam pivoted quickly and left the room.

The other three turned their attention to the two figures surrounded by blinking lights. Daniel's head rested on Vala's chest, her fingers in his hair.

As the others watched, Daniel raised his head and Vala grinned at him, her hand sliding from his hair to his face.

"What a bizarre world we live in." Landry rolled his chair back and stood, stretching.

"A bit of an understatement?' Jack rubbed his tired eyes, standing and following Landry towards the door. He stopped when he realized Sam wasn't behind him. "Carter, shame on you. You're gonna watch this?"

"Oh! No, sorry." She jumped up, taking one last look at the two below.

"Colonel?" Landry looked back to see Jack waving a hand forward and Carter moving past, coming to walk beside him. "Mind explaining to me why or how Dr. Jackson – reportedly – could see Ms. Mal Doran?"

"Oh, god!" Jack groaned and moved far ahead of the two.

"Well. I have a theory, Sir. When the alien inside Vala realized it was trapped it tried to break loose, thereby, generating an electric signal strong enough to free its consciousness from Vala's body. But Vala's naquadah had an electron field too strong to break loose from, so all the alien ended up doing was causing these spontaneous power surges that momentarily brought the both of them back into normal phase - but - for extremely short intervals, the order of milliseconds."

"Blah, blah, blah. Carter! English. We speak English on this base!" Jack grumbled slowing his march down the hallway.

Ignoring the interruption with a roll of her eyes, Sam continued. "Then, Daniel being close enough to Vala during these surges, it could be that his physiological EM fields realign under the influence of the alien-generated EM field, you know, the way the iron shavings on a sheet of paper realign in a certain shape when you put a magnet under the paper, allowing him to see her. Obviously, the alignment brought them into a kind of 'shared' phase."

Landry nodded as if he totally understood her. When both he and Carter caught up with Jack, Landry's quick glance at Jack got him the 'not a word, you didn't understand not one word' look from the general.

"Of course," Sam continued unaware of the two generals' exchange, "in the long term that could have been bad, since it could lead to heart problems, cell-degeneration, and more for him."

"What!?" The men sang out in perfect harmony.

"Oh, don't worry, I had Carolyn run a few discreet tests while he was 'napping,' he's fine. And Carolyn said Vala's fine. They're both fine." Nodding as if to convince herself, Sam frowned. "I wonder what they're talking about," she half mumbled.

Jack leaned to whisper, "Don't worry, I put it on record."

"Jack!" Sam instantly went quiet, eyes wide and looked around for General Landry. Luckily the man was disappearing in another direction.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Darling. You are the saddest I have ever seen you. Your eyes speak such truth you cannot deny." As his head returned to her chest, her hand returned to his hair. "You saved me, Daniel. Why so sorrowful?"

"A waste of time." He mumbled against her breast.

"What? What did you say?" Vala sat up so suddenly Daniel was knocked aside.

He stood, pinched the bridge of his nose, and drew a deep breath. "I've wasted so much time."

"Sitting here with me? You consider that a waste of your time? You are the most despicable man I have ever met! As long as I wasn't real...to you...you felt safe in...in...ooohhhh! You used me for your pleasure! Not to mention your abominable pain! Suffering and..."

Taking her by the shoulders, he lifted her half out of the bed, his mouth stopping her insufferable chatter. So enthralled by his kiss, she literally flopped back on the bed like a rag doll when he let her go. "No. Your despicable man wasted so much time ignoring the obvious." Closing his eyes with a short lived smart assed grin, and a less than happy waggle to his brow, Daniel turned his back.

"Daniel, no one knew I was really real. I understand..."

With a half smile, he looked back over his shoulder. "Not that. Although I do feel guilty. It's the time I wasted not facing how I felt about you long ago."

"Oh." She couldn't think of another thing to say.

When she remained quiet, he backed up and sat on the bed and looked askew at her. "I meant what I said before."

"Before what?" She batted her eyelashes, grinning her silly grin.

"Be serious."

"I'm too happy to be serious."

"Happy? After all you've been through?" He sighed, dropping his head.

"Yes."

Reaching a hand behind him, Daniel grasped hers. "That's why I love you." He shook his head slowly still facing away from her, head still down. He laughed. "If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, the meal was cooked a long time ago."

"What, darling?"

"Nothing. I love you beyond reason. I just want you to know that, and to thank you for loving me."

"Can we go home now?"

"Nope. You have to stay here tonight as ordered. Let's not rock the boat."

"Can we rock the bed?" She scooted up on her knees and knelt behind him laying her head on his back.

"No way, not here. Besides, I can guarantee you Jack has the video recorder on."

"Let's entertain him, shall we."

Turning, he took her face in his hands and kissed her hard, pulling away reluctantly. "No we shalln't."

"I'm so bored."

"So am I."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Daniel had been rousted from his sleep in the chair and threatened with a stint in the isolation area heavily sedated if he didn't leave and get some rest. Once he was gone, Carolyn had ordered Vala be moved into the main medical unit. No sense in telling Daniel and having him try to camp out on an empty bed. She didn't need Tweedledee and Tweedledum running amuck in her infirmary.

Carolyn left orders to be woken up immediately if there was the slightest change in Vala. If all went well she'd release her in the morning. The doctor stretched her aching back and wandered off to sleep in her office.

She couldn't have slept more than forty minutes when the charge nurse came in. "Dr. Lam! Wake up! Dr. Lam!"

"What is it!? Vala?" She was on her feet in a second.

"Yes. She's gone."

Biting at her lip to keep the knowing grin off her face, Carolyn quipped noncommittally. "Gone? As in 'not in the infirmary'?"

"Yes. I just went to check on her. It wasn't even thirty minutes before that she was there, sound asleep."

"Not likely. Did you call security?" Carolyn slipped into her lab coat.

"I did. Then I came to get you."

Picking up the phone on her desk, Carolyn dialed. "Security? Yes, it's Dr. Lam. No. Did you check her quarters? Um hmm. Not there. Alright, let me check on something. No...no, don't wake General Landry. Let me handle this. I'll get back to you soon." She hung the phone up and looked at her nurse. "Leslie, I have a theory. Keep an eye out for her, but don't worry. I think I know where she is."

Once more picking up the phone, Carolyn dialed up her own search party.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Lucid dreaming. He was totally aware he was dreaming. Sound. The rustle of sheets and her breath. Touch. Soft curves, satin skin, warm lips on his neck. Smell. Fresh washed hair with her favorite shampoo, jasmine.

"Daniel?"

"Hmmm?"

"Make love to me."

"I will sweetheart, as soon as I wake up and you're out of danger."

"I am out of danger. Carolyn said so. And she's releasing me tomorrow."

"Good. Tomorrow. Make love tomorrow." Daniel turned over, away from her, burrowing deeper into his covers.

"Darling? I want you to make love to me when you know that I'm real. You still love me, don't you."

He yawned. "Uh humm, do. You?"

Vala smiled and snuggled into his back snaking her arm across his waist. "I've always loved you. Do you think that if I got pregnant while I was out of phase that the baby would be out of phase when it was born?"

His eyes popped open and he literally leapt from the bed. "Holy Buckets! How'd you...you're supposed to be... what are you doing here?" Rubbing his eyes furiously Daniel tried to figure out where he was. It was pitch black but he was almost positive this was his room. "Am I dreaming?"

"No."

"How'd you...never mind." He turned on the bedside lamp and grinned when he saw her sitting in his bed still in her infirmary gown. "Come on," he reached for her, "I better get you back before they come storming my door...baby?" He snatched his hand away. "Did you say baby?"

"Well, of course I wouldn't know, but I was curious. I was dreaming about a baby. And I woke up and started thinking about it." Vala planted her feet on the bed and rested her chin on her knees.

He sat down on the side of the bed before he fell down. "Damn. No. Well. Er. No, that's impossible."

"Thank the stars! I was really worried. I want babies, though. Daniel, let's make babies. I feel marvelous. And..." She waved a hand around, "...and, what's the word? Wanting?"

"We can't. Not now." With a sigh he dropped his head and covered his face with his hands.

"You don't want me anymore?" Her voice was low and sad.

Moving his hands from his face he looked back at her. "Of course I do. It's complicated." He reached and grabbed her ankle, rubbing her warm living flesh with his thumb, his gaze dropping to her feet.

"Us? We're complicated?"

"No. I need to take you back to the infirmary. I should call Carolyn; let her know you're okay." When he gazed up at her she looked heartbroken. He turned, moved onto the bed and lifted her chin from her knees. "By complicated, I mean we can't...make love here. And, Vala." His hand roamed up her leg, across her arm and he took her by the neck, thumb caressing her cheek, pulled her closer, and kissed her deeply. "I meant every word I said. Never doubt that."

Vala threw her arms around his neck and met his lips in a fierce love and life affirming kiss. Daniel fell backwards and she came with him. His arm wrapped around her waist and her momentum sent them careening off the foot of the bed.

Daniel's back hit the floor without breaking the seal of their mouths.

Carolyn was banging on the door, calling out their names.

Cam had a key card ready to swipe but Teal'c's firm grip on his arm stopped him. "I do not think that would be wise, ColonelMitchell."

"Right." Cam looked back at Teal'c. "Where's Carter?"

"She left with O'Neill."

"Damn." Cam pounded the door with his fist. "Jackson!?"

"Yeah?" came the muted reply.

Teal'c moved forward. "Is ValaMalDoran in there?"

"Yes."

"Is she all right?" Carolyn asked with concern.

"Yep."

The doctor looked at her companions before continuing. "Can I take her back to the infirmary?"

"No!" This coming from Vala herself.

Carolyn's eyes grew round. "After you're done... I mean when you're finished...I mean...later?"

"Before breakfast?" Cam added, grinning lopsidedly at the befuddled doctor.

"Or sooner if her heart beat changes, I mean if her pulse is...if she...damn! Daniel, bring her back if she starts breathing funny. Oh, crap. I give up!" Bright red with embarrassment, Carolyn walked off.

Cam was right behind her laughing.

"Good night, DanielJackson. Good night, ValaMalDoran."

"Good night, Teal'c."

"Nite, Muscles."

Teal'c walked off, hands behind his back, and a wide grin on his face.

~END - A/N: Thanks to Denny for signing up to beta! Much appreciated!!! A special thanks as always for childofspacegypsy1 first read for all my stories and for all she does for me, inspires me, keeps me sane, and keeps me on track! And a big hugging thank you to Myosotis13, techogenius. And thanks, D, for the early-on kick in the six for five.


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